Covina man, Glendora man arrested at alleged Pomona chop shop

POMONA - Police arrested two San Gabriel Valley men Saturday on suspicion of operating a chop shop in Pomona and seized stolen property including a stolen handgun, authorities said.

Gabriel Mejia, 33, of Covina and Hijinio Arroyo, 37, of Glendora were each being held in lieu of $100,000 bail Sunday at the Pomona Police Department's jail, according to Pomona police and Los Angeles County booking records.

Officers acting on a tip from a confidential informant discovered the alleged chop shop about 1:45 p.m. at 1124 Price Street, Pomona police officials said in a written statement.

"When they arrived, several male subjects fled from the building," according to the police statement. One attempted to flee police by climbing onto the building's roof.

Officers detained two of the men -- later identified as Mejia and Arroyo -- then obtained consent to search the building, police said.

Inside, officers found several vehicles being dismantled and car parts scattered throughout the building, officials said. Three of the cars were determined to have been stolen.

In addition to the stolen vehicles and parts, officers also recovered a handgun that had been reported stolen, the police statement said.

According to county booking records, Mejia and Arroyo were scheduled to appear for arraignment Tuesday in Pomona Superior Court.